Group Leader’s Notes – Bring This To The Campout

YMCA Adventure Program | Fall Campout

Camp Grady Spruce - Graford TX – October 15th-17th

Campout Notes – Distribute to your Circle. Be Sure to Print this and Bring with You!

Group Leader’s Notes – Bring This To The Campout

Congratulations! By taking your child on an Adventure Guide campout you are letting them know that they are the most important person in your life. If

you have been on a campout before, you know that it is a great opportunity to make memories and build a strong relationship with your child. If this is your first campout, get ready to make memories that will last a lifetime!

Under the guidance of a carefully selected camp staff, you will find yourself in the heart of the foothills of the Palo

Pinto Mountains less than 75 miles west of Fort Worth. Possum Kingdom is The Great Lake of Texas with more than 18,000 acres of crystal-clear water – it’s a Texas oasis surrounded by beautiful cliffs and rolling hillsides. Whether you are visiting for a weekend or staying for a lifetime, Possum Kingdom Lake has the amenities and services to

meet your every need, from first-class dining and resorts to some of the finest marinas and golf courses in Texas.

In our effort to make this a positive experience for everyone we ask that you please leave alcohol at home and respect the policies and procedures set forth by the camp and your Program Director. Thank you for helping make your campout safe and successful.

Good Decisions!!! Camp Grady Spruce is an Alcohol-Free facility, please respect their rules. Practice good fire safety and enjoy the fire pits and grates at the cabins! Such reckless behavior is discouraged and prohibited and

the camp reserves the right to dismiss anyone that doesn’t practice common sense.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you might have. We look forward to having you and your child as our guests!

Group leaders – Please get this information to your group

Pre-Camp Notes

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

October 8th

Please get everyone registered by the deadline Friday the 8th. This will help with cabin assignments and staffing during the campout.

October 13th

Firewood Deadline Firewood – You can call Dean Anderson with A2Z Tree Service at 817-219-1299 or go to the link below to order your firewood. You can pay with Visa or MasterCard. Call no later than the Wednesday before the campout. Prices for seasoned wood are 1/3 cord for $109. Quantities may be limited due to US Forest Service fire

restrictions.

http://www.a2ztree.com/ymcawood

Regarding campfires. Please be respectful of the fire rings provided and keep your fires within the fire rings. Only burn firewood, no trash or other debris. Keep your fires reasonable and modest; we are all familiar with the news stories about the wildfires and such.




Camp Schedule

FRIDAY

Time What Where

4:00PM Check In & Cabin Assignments

Check in will happen at the top of the hill until 7:15 PM. EVERYONE MUST CHECK IN. You will be receiving cabin assignments at that time and we will

also be doing a Health Screening as well as temperature checks on all participants. After 7:15 PM, check in will happen at the Main Dining Hall. Absolutely do not drive on the grass! Feel free to arrive early and fish or just relax and enjoy the camp.

If you think you will arrive to camp after 8 PM, please let us prior if possible.

YMCA Camp Grady Spruce – 3000 Park Rd. 36 - Graford, TX 76449 Ph: 940-779-3411 – www.campgradyspruce.org

The drive takes about 3 hours, plan accordingly. There are two routes (north along 380 and south through Ft. Worth). Try to get to camp early so that your kids can enjoy some time with their friends. The Group leader will write you a note if needed for your employer…

Eating: There are no meals served Friday or Saturday night. Arrive early and cook hot dogs and hamburgers at your camp or stop along the way for dinner. Everyone must check in before going to their cabins. Drive

Safe! Arrive safe!

7:30PM 8:00 PM

Group Leaders Meeting Mandatory

Attendance

Dining Hall at Main Camp please make sure you send either your lead volunteer or a representative from reach group. We will review schedules, camp rules, assign riding time and meet camp staff.

Each group will have their own schedule that they will follow for Saturday

activities, these schedules will be given out on Friday night.

8:15PM Flashlight Walk We provide a story and each group can have their own flashlight walk throughout the camp.

SATURDAY

Time What Where

All Day Group Flag Group leaders – Be sure to bring your flag to the camp and display on your cabin or nearby tree. Be sure to present your colors at each event, carry your flag with you through the day.

7:30AM 8:15AM

9:00 AM

Breakfast Main Dining Halls – Due to staffing, we will only be running one dining hall this weekend but we will have 3 dining times are provided to keep lines to a minimum. Arrive on time or risk going hungry… Please only come to the dining hall at your designated times. There will be outdoor seating available, and all meals will be served in disposable plates.

9:00AM to 11:45AM

Enjoy the Activities

Zipline, Climbing Wall. Horses and Barge Rides will happen only on the Main Side.

• Boat Rides to Hell’s Gate - visit a remote & deserted island • BB Guns – Official Daisy Red Riders, but don’t shoot your eye out! • Archery – This even more fun when Mom isn’t around

• Frisbee Golf, Basketball- we suggest bringing your own balls from home • Horse Back Riding – You must wear long pants and shoes • • Hike at Johnston’s Peak • Fishing (bring your own gear and bait)

http://www.campgradyspruce.org/




All groups will follow a schedule for activities to ensure there isn’t mixing of groups.

• NEW: • Climbing Wall • Zipline

Please make sure a Y staff is at the activity before starting.

11:15AM

12:00 PM

12:30 PM

Lunch Main Dining Halls – Due to staffing, we will only be running one dining hall

this weekend but we will have 3 dining times are provided to keep lines to a minimum. Arrive on time or risk going hungry… Please only come to the

dining hall at your designated times. There will be outdoor seating available, and all meals will be served in disposable plates.

1:00PM to 5:15PM

Enjoy More of the Activities

Same as above.

6:00PM Dinner Dinner! There are no meals served Friday night or Saturday night.

TBD Start Bonfire Have a campfire at your cabin! We will provide songs, skits and stories as

well as any awards from the day, or you can come up with your own!

SUNDAY

Time What Where

7:30AM

8:15AM

9:00 AM

Breakfast Both Dining Halls – Two dining times are provided to keep lines to a

minimum. Arrive on time or risk going hungry… Please only come to the dining hall at your designated times. There will be outdoor seating available, and all meals will be served in disposable plates.

10:00AM to Noon

Pack Up and Enjoy the Camp

Drive Safely Everyone!! Check Out: Please sweep the cabins, bag up your trash and pick-up around the campground. Please leave the camp cleaner than you found it. If you moved any tables, bunks or mattresses, please return them where you found them.




More Important Information

Health Guidelines for 2020-2021: Please make sure you are staying socially distanced from other participants not in your group or cohort. We encourage masks whenever social distancing is not an option. Please make sure both kids and parents are washing hands or using hand sanitizer throughout the day.

About Your Campout: This is a full-service campground, meaning that you will be in cabins with heat and in some cases A/C. All cabins will have bathrooms and showers. The bunkbeds are hard with what resembles a mattress. Bring either blankets or a sleeping bag and pillows. There are no linens, so you need to bring towels and such.

Don’t forget the stuffed animals and those stinky blankets that every kid has and needs to go to sleep. With that said, make sure you have it when you leave. If you are a light sleeper consider some ear plugs, you can find at any sporting store that caries hunting gear. These are cabins, not hotel rooms so set your expectations accordingly.

Please keep the kids from jumping off the bunk beds – a broken leg or twisted wrist is not the memory you are looking to achieve.

Roles: Most groups will assign roles. One person responsible for ordering the firewood, one to bring food one to

cook, a cook or grill master, therapist, mediator and such – everyone should take a role. Pack whatever you like but expect the kids to raid each cooler – so bring extra. Don’t expect the kids to eat much so attempt to bring snacks that might offer some nutritional value (cereal bars, fruit, lunchables and other make-believe healthy stuff – protein wards off bad behavior.) Make sure you pack any medicines your child need but also bring your usual off the shelf meds too (allergy meds, Tylenol, whatever) – there are no pharmacies nearby. Bring extra shoes and socks, a pair of long pants and closed toe shoes. And we hate to say it, bring rain gear.

Keep an eye on the kids: Recommendation, the buddy-system or better yet – the herd-system. Kids should

never be alone or without a parent is not nearby. This weekend is about time with your child, so be sure to have your one-on-one time. Don’t use the drive to the camp as an opportunity to catch up on voice mail, put down the phone and talk to your kid – turn off the TVs in back seat. You kids will remember this weekend more than any other weekend in their entire life.

Meltdowns: Usually reserved for Saturday afternoon when the kids are the most tired. Work through it with the kids. Just know that it will happen and it will be over in 10-minutes or less. We don’t suggest silly threats (we are going to leave if you don’t stop…).

Behavior: Not the kids, the dads. Make good decisions. The camps are alcohol free facilities; this is a weekend to spend with your kids – not a weekend to get loaded with your buddies. But also, encourage the kids to behave well and be respectful of the camp and each other.

Most Important: Make sure that the kids are having a great time. We expect the dads to have a ton of fun too, but you will be tired, achy and cranky. This is camping and the facilities are not Ritz or even Motel 6 like. The camps are mostly run by volunteers, so be patient and set your expectations accordingly...

Sleeping Arrangements: Most cabins have between 12 and 16 beds. The size of your group will dictate how many cabins your group will be assigned. Please do not move beds out of cabins. We can suggest other alternatives if you want all your group to be in the same cabins.

If your child is one that likes to wander in the middle night, you might consider letting them have the bottom bunk and you take the top bunk. Please, keep the kids from jumping off the bunks. Snorers, you know who you are –

work with your cabin mates to minimize their pain and discomfort inflicted by your snoring.

We are asking that sleeping arrangements be made that the heads of each participant will be at the

feet of the person next to them. Also, the only people allowed in that cabin are the pairs staying in that cabin.

Chant or Song. Each Group should create a chant, war song or some other creative way to vocalize their Group. Each Group will be asked to sing, shout or scream their chant or song on the council fire.

Horseback Riding: Riding times will be assigned at the Group leaders’ meeting on Friday night. Please get to your designated departure point 5-10 minutes early. All riders must wear helmets (provided), long pants, and closed toe shoes.




Boat Rides to Hell’s Gate: A ten-minute boat ride to a deserted island where you can hike and explore. The view from on top of the island is great. The boats will leave every hour from the dock. This is about a 1½ hour trip.

Directions and Check in Procedures: Once you have checked in, you will be given your cabin assignments. You may drive near your cabin and quickly unload your car. Do Not Drive on The Grass! Immediately move your car to the designated parking areas. If not, you are assured to get a few dings and scratches. Do not drive on the grass!

Waterfront: No swimming is permitted in the lake and no boating without a certified lifeguard on duty. Everyone

must wear a properly secured lifejacket at all times while boating. Adult must be present in all boats/canoes.

Other Camp information: Please remember no silly string, sidewalk chalk, pets, or digging holes. We need to keep the camp the way it was before we came.

Camp Cooking: All the cabin areas will have a fire pit. Typically, the fire pits do not offer much of a grill to cook on. Many bring portable gas grills or charcoal grills. Just remember, sometimes you may be quite a distance from your camp area. You can also bring a grill to place over the fire pit or put some charcoal in the fire pit for cooking.

There are raccoons that will break into the coolers at night, so make sure you secure things the best you can.

Campfires: Please be safe around the fires, burn only firewood – no bombs, cans, trash or other debris. Campfires are great fun, enjoy them safely. No cutting/chopping down trees. Keep fires in the fire pits/rings ONLY. Please do not move the fire rings.

Behavior: Be wise and make good decisions. Alcohol, fireworks and bad behavior are not allowed. This is a weekend for you to build lasting bond with your child. The YMCA reserves the right to kick you out for such decisions.

The Bell: The bell is to be used for 2 purposes: to call people to meals or to alert people to emergencies. If you hear the bell ring for 1 solid minute or more, come to the dining hall immediately for further details. Please do not allow children to ring the bell.




Camp Grady Spruce: YMCA Camp Grady Spruce – 3000 Park Rd. 36 - Graford, TX 76449 - Ph: 940-779-3411

Driving Directions, but you may go online to route your own plan.

YMCA Camp Grady Spruce

3000 Park Rd. 36 - Graford, TX 76449

Ph: 940-779-3411

www.campgradyspruce.org

To Main Camp and Ray Bean Camp sites

• From Dallas/Fort Worth (about 120 miles): Follow I-30 West (from Central Dallas) to the I-20 merge

west of Fort Worth heading towards Weatherford/Mineral Wells.

• Exit the Highway 180 cut-off at Weatherford. Continue on Highway 180 through Weatherford and

Mineral Wells (Mineral Wells is the last guaranteed stop for food if you want to eat).

• Just west of Mineral Wells, turn north (right) onto Hwy 337 following it for 11 miles.

• At the 4-way stop in Graford, turn Left onto Hwy 254 following it 8 miles to the intersection of Hwy

254 and Hwy 16.

• Veer left onto Hwy 16. Proceed 2 miles.

• Turn right onto Park Road 36 (at The Cabins on the Corner). Stay on Park Road 36 through the 4-way

stop past Mr. C's gas station.

• Park Road 36 will veer left after approximately 6 miles. Park Road 36 dead ends into the Main and Ray

Bean Camps.

South Route- From Dallas/Fort Worth (about 120 miles):

• Follow I-30 West (from Central Dallas) to the I-20 West merge west of Fort Worth heading towards

Weatherford/Mineral Wells. • Exit the Highway 180 cut-off at Weatherford. • Continue on Highway 180 through Weatherford and Mineral Wells (Mineral Wells is the last guaranteed

stop for food if you want to eat). • Just west of Mineral Wells, turn north (right) onto Hwy 337 following it for 11 miles. • At the 4-way stop in Graford, turn Left onto Hwy 254 following it 8 miles to the intersection of Hwy

254 and Hwy 16-veer left onto Hwy 16. • Proceed 2 miles to Park Road 36 turning right at the bait shop. • Following it through the 4-way stop past Mr. C's gas station. The road will split after approximately 6

miles. • Veer left for Main and Ray Beans Camps which will be to your left at the end of Park Road 36.

North Route:

• Head North from Richardson to US 380 through Denton, Decatur and Jacksboro. • West of Jacksboro, take a left onto FM 4 south to Graford.

• Turn right on highway 254 in Graford and follow until it merges with HW 16.

• Take HW 16 and turn right onto Park Road 36 and follow the signs to Grady Spruce Main Camp.

http://www.campgradyspruce.org/




No Tolerance Alcohol Policy

The YMCA Adventure Guide program is an alcohol and a drug-free environment. The use of alcohol or illegal drugs on YMCA property or during a YMCA Adventure Guide event is strictly prohibited. The YMCA Adventure Guide program has a no tolerance policy. Anyone found drinking or using illegal drugs will be asked to leave the program for one year. This policy is consistent with the mission of the YMCA and is the policy dictated by the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.

Reinstatement Policy The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas allows each branch the opportunity to define criteria to reinstate those

suspended due to the alcohol policy. After six (6) months of suspension and suspension from one campout, the suspended person(s) can be reinstated. The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas defines its reinstatement policy as follows: Any person suspended due to alcohol violations can be reinstated if the person meets the following criteria:

• Has been suspended for at least 6 months • Has missed one campout due to suspension • In the opinion of the Council officer and Y-Staff involved the alcohol incident was limited to

consumption or possession. No other person was harmed or disturbed by behavior resulting from consumption.

• In the opinion of the Council officer and Y-Staff involved the person cooperated with the

punishment and peaceably left the YMCA event. • In the opinion of the Council officer and Y-Staff the person honored the suspension by not

attending YMCA events. The suspended individual must request to be reinstated into the program by contacting the YMCA Program

Director. The YMCA Program Director will then review the details of the alcohol incident with Council members then based upon the findings, determine the appropriate reinstatement action.

YMCA Mission: To put Christian values into practice through programs that building healthy spirit, mind and body for all. YMCA Core Values: Caring Honesty

Respect Responsibility




Leader

Meeting

Climbing

Wall/Zipline

Camp

Entrance




Camp

Entrance

Leader

Meeting




Item Description Who Done

Clothing (put your name on everything)

Extra clothing, socks, shoes

Jeans Long pants are required for horseback riding

Warm Jacket

Rain Gear

Hiking boots Closed toe shoes are required for horseback

riding

Back packs

Group T-shirts

Food

Cooking

Grill The fire pits at the camp typically do not have

cooking grills.

Grilling utensils

Charcoal

Lighter Fluid

Matches and Lighter

Aluminum Foil

Firewood Order from the contact provided or BYO.

DuraFlame Logs work great to start fires.

Table cloths

Eating ware

Friday Night

Drinks

Water

Burgers/Hot Dogs & Buns

Chili

Chips & junk Food

Saturday Morning (breakfast is served at the dining hall)

Cereal Bars

Coffee Coffee for Dads

Juice Look for the juice that does not need to be

refrigerated

Milk The little Horizon Milk boxes don’t need to be

kept cold.

Saturday Night

Steaks/Chicken

Hot Dogs and Buns

Salad

Condiments

Sunday Morning

Cereal Bars

Coffee

Juice Look for the juice that does not need to be

refrigerated

Milk The little Horizon Milk boxes don’t need to be

kept cold.

Snacks/Misc

Snacks Variety of individually packed snacks

Ice Several large ice chests full to keep drinks cold.

Smores Graham crackers, chocolate bars, marsh mellows

Fruit Apples, Bananas, Grapes, etc.

Accessories

Lanterns

Chairs

Insect and Tic repellent .

Sleeping bag or quilt

Extra blankets

Pillows

Toiletries

Towels

Towelettes/Wipes

Hand soap Anti-bacterial hand gel for kids is good

Liquid Dish Soap

Trash bags

Flashlight and extra batteries

Ice Chest

Necessary Rx Medications

Recreation

Fishing Tackle

Fishing Pole

Jam box and extra batteries

Documents

Group Leader’s Notes – Bring This To The Campout